Before being elected President, while serving in Congress, James Garfield stated at the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1876:

“Now more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless and corrupt, it is because the people tolerate ignorance, recklessness and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave and pure, it is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national legislature … If the next centennial does not find us a great nation…it will be because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation do not aid in controlling the political forces.”

I’m sure that quote will garner its fair share of “amens,” especially among the political right. However, I expect most of those “amens” will be predicated on the supposition that it’s “the other guy” who has tolerated ignorance, recklessness and corruption in Congress by his vote for, and support of, “the other party.” You might want to hold up on passing judgment just yet, and look at some numbers first.

Over the past 20 years, Republicans have held the majority in Congress 65% of the time, leaving the Democratic Party a relatively disenfranchised and powerless entity that only wielded control of Congress 35% of the time. If this were professional football, the Democrats would have a 6 and 10 record – pretty much time to fire the coach, sell the team and pack it in.

So if, in the words of President Garfield, Congress has been ignorant, reckless and corrupt over the past two decades, it is because the Christian-conservative-right has tolerated ignorance, recklessness and corruption by electing, and reelecting, a party of pachyderms that has perpetually increased the size of government, increased spending, increased the national debt, funded the welfare state, funded the warfare state, funded the police state, funded the healthcare state, never defunded a single unconstitutional or extra constitutional bureau, agency or program, and has generally disregarded the rule of law under the Constitution.

I believe if President Garfield were here today, he would admonish us to declare our independence from political parties, powers and leaders that obviously do not represent our values. When we continue to support, or affiliate with such entities, we become parties to, and responsible for, the ignorance, recklessness and corruption that we authorize by our vote.

It is time for “those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation” to withhold their time, their treasure, and their vote from any who are not clearly and consistently “intelligent, brave and pure,” as President Garfield put it. It is far past the time that we ought to have declared our independence from the established forms of political association that have become destructive of the ends for which they were established, and that we should begin to vote not for party, but for principle, and for men of character who Honor God, Uphold the Constitution and Contend for Liberty.

Dorchester Heights could decide the outcome of the British occupation of Boston. All winter General Washington’s council of war had advised against a direct assault. Washington was anxious, as his proposals showed, to confront the British.

In the meantime, facing impossible odds, Colonel Henry Knox, just twenty five, arrived at Fort Ticonderoga on December 5, 1775. Knox retrieved 58 mortars and cannons, one cannon weighing 5,000 pounds alone. The whole lot was believed to weigh not less than 120,000 pounds. He floated the cannons down Lake George and then dragged the cannons on forty-two sleds with eighty yoke of oxen through blizzards, cruel thaws, deep snow, over iced rivers, and snow bound mountains. When they got to Springfield, Massachusetts, Knox switched to horses to quicken the pace. Not a gun had been lost. Hundreds of men had taken part. The cannons that Knox had rescued were about to change the stalemate at Boston.

On February 16, 1776, General Washington convened his council of war for the fourth time asking for a direct assault on Boston, but the answer again was no. However, there was agreement on another plan. They would draw the British out. They would occupy Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston in one night. The army went to work preparing a highly sophisticated scheme whereby fortifications would be fabricated elsewhere out of sight and brought to Dorchester Heights in one incredible night.

Miraculously, the British were entirely unaware of the plan, although hundreds even thousands understood what was unfolding. On March 2 a bombardment began to distract the British. On March 4 they moved all the fortifications to Dorchester Heights and were finished by first light the morning of March 5, the anniversary of the Boston Massacre.

All through the night on the Heights, men had toiled steadily with picks and shovels, breaking the frozen ground for earth and stone to fill the chandeliers (fortifications) and barrels. At three in the morning they were relieved by 3,000 men and an additional five regiments of riflemen took up positions near the shore. Twenty cannon were in place. Untouchable by the British, the cannons were high above Boston, threatening the whole occupied city and the British fleet.

It was an utterly phenomenal achievement. American General Heath was hardly exaggerating when he wrote, “Perhaps there never was so much work done in so short a space of time.” At daybreak, the British commanders looking up at the Heights could scarcely believe their eyes. The hoped-for, all-important surprise was total. British General Howe was said to have exclaimed, “My God, these fellows have done more work in one night than I could make my army do in three months.”

After a miraculous storm stopped the ill-fated British plan of counter-attacking the Americans, they sent word that they would not burn the city of Boston if they were allowed to evacuate which is what happened. Adapted from David McCullough’s wonderful book 1776.

Our nation was born of courage and perseverance of men like George Washington, because they willingly pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. God honored their sacrifices with miraculous victories, and after they had paid the price…liberty.

America has squandered that miraculous gift of God and our forefathers. Most of our leaders and elected officials are corrupt, but even worse they have embraced liberty destroying socialism. Unlike our founders who proclaimed “No King but King Jesus”…America’s God and King is now Government.

Our nation has lost the last vestiges of sovereignty as “conservatives” gave Fast Track authority for the Trans Pacific Partnership to a totally anti-American President. We now live under Fascism, collusion between Big Government and International Corporations, designed to supersede our Constitution and the rights of all Americans.

Our Supreme Court has abandoned God’s law, leading the way as Sodom and Gomorah engulfs our nation. The foundational right of Religious Liberty is now eclipsed by perversion and political correctness. Soon there will only be “marriages” in politically correct churches and persecution of believers will rage.

We live in the times Isaiah prophesied about, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” KJV Isaiah 5:20

Although our nation has rejected God, we can remain faithful and obtain God’ promises. “Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me…” KJV Psalms 101:13

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” KJV John 16:33

Second, we must do as he directs, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” KJV Matthew 22:37-39.

Third, we must continue to be faithful in the eternal cause of Liberty, “…Proclaim liberty throughout all the land and to all the inhabitants thereof…” KJV Leviticus 25:10

Fourth, we must prepare ourselves and our families spiritually, financially and physically for the fulfillment of scripture, “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted…” KJV Matthew 24:7-9

Fifth, we must endure to the end. “But he that endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” KJV Matthew 24:13

Somehow, I feel a great sense of peace as I watch the incredible events unfolding around me. They are not a surprise for I have been watching for decades as these things unfold. Some are just awakening to a sense of their awful situation and that can be alarming. But we can do as the Lord directs and be of good cheer and trust in Him.

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” KJV Proverbs 3:5

Often things must get worse before they can get better. My brother Dan always said, “Americans are too comfortable. Nothing will change until that changes.” Change also equals opportunities. Be of Good Cheer!